Duquesne Voted Preseason Volleyball Favorite

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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Defending champion Duquesne has been selected to win the 2014 Atlantic 10 Conference Volleyball Championship in a vote among the league’s 10 head volleyball coaches.

The Dukes garnered eight first-place votes and tallied a total of 98 points in the polling. They return key members from last year’s championship team, including A-10 Setter of the Year Mary Henry and First Team All-Conference selection Arielle Love. Duquesne is also led by coach Steve Opperman, a four-time A-10 Coach of the Year selection, including last season.

Saint Louis received one first-place vote and 83 overall points, placing the Billikens in second place in the poll. Led by reigning A-10 Rookie of the Year Danielle Rygelski and two other All-Conference performers in Meredith Boe and Megan Gilbert, the two-time champion Bills will look to add a third A-10 trophy this season.

Dayton, winner of four of the last five A-10 titles, was picked third with 78 points. George Washington was selected fourth with 73 points and Rhode Island was picked fifth with 58 points and one first-place vote.

The 2014 Atlantic 10 runner-up, VCU was selected to finish sixth with 57 points, and George Mason was chosen seventh with 29 points. Fordham, league newcomer Davidson and La Salle rounded out the poll in eighth, ninth and 10 places respectively.

Dayton will host the 2014 Atlantic 10 Volleyball Championship at their on-campus dedicated volleyball facility the Frericks Center, Nov. 21-23. It will mark the fourth time UD has hosted the championship in the last decade. The regular season begins the weekend of Friday, Aug. 29 with all 10 teams in action in multi-team tournaments. Conference play starts Friday, Sept. 26.